Titans Return to Links for Spring Opener

Jan 24, 2013

THIS WEEK: After taking home three top-four finishes during the fall portion of the 2012-2013 season, the Cal State Fullerton men's golf team is ready to begin the spring portion of its schedule this week as one of 15 teams competing at the Arizona Intercollegiate tournament hosted by the University of Arizona on Jan. 28-29, in Tucson, Ariz.

THE COURSE: The two-day event will be contested at The Golf Club at Vistoso, playing at 6,932 yards from the tournament tees and par 71 for the 54-hole event. Play begins at 8 a.m. for the first two rounds on Monday and concludes with an 8 a.m. tee-off for the final 18 holes on Tuesday.

IN THE RANKINGS: Cal State Fullerton is ranked No. 99 in the nation according to the Golfstat.com NCAA Head-to-Head rankings, facing a field that features nine teams ranked in the top 100: California is No. 1, New Mexico is No. 5, Liberty is No. 24, Kennesaw State is No. 62, Arizona State is No. 72, Central Arkansas is No. 79, Arizona is No. 83, and Santa Clara is No. 96.

According to the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings, Fullerton is No. 104 in the nation with seven competitors in this week's field ranked among the top 80, including three teams in the top 15: California (#1), New Mexico (#4), Liberty (#18), TCU (#46), Kennesaw State (#53), Arizona State (#72), Arizona (#79).

INTO THE DESERT: This week will mark the Titans' first-ever trip to compete in the Arizona Intercollegiate since the program was reinstated in 2009-10.

A LOOK BACK: Senior Dakota Duerr finished at even-par in the final round (+3, 219 overall) to lead the Titans to a 12th place finish at the Warrior Wave Princeville Intercollegiate at the Makai Golf Club on the North Shore of Kauai on Nov. 5-7, 2012. The Titans shot an 884 to finish 20-over par, while Baylor won the event with an 18-under mark and an 846 team score. North Carolina finished seven shots off the leaders (853) and UC Irvine finished at six under (858) to round out the top three. Junior Mark Anguiano fired a 3-under 69 in the final round to finish tied for 29th (+5, 221). Junior Corey Gard shot a one-under-par 2nd round to finish tied for 50th (+8, 224). Mark Jensma entered the clubhouse with a 227 over three rounds. Ryan Tetrault tied for 61st with a 12-over 228 over the three rounds.

YOU CAN DUERR IT: Junior Dakota Duerr led the Titans during the fall with a 72.58 scoring average and fourth-place finishes in the Firestone Grill Invitational in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate in Pullman, Wash.

THIRD ROUNDS A CHARM: In three of the four fall tournaments, a Titan athlete shot a team-best round in the third round:

• According to Golfstat.com and Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings the Titans will be competing against the #1 ranked University of California at the Arizona Intercollegiate. The top-ranked Golden Bears finished in first place in four of their five fall tournaments.

• Fullerton has had seven sub-70 rounds this season led by two apiece from Mark Anguiano, Corey Gard, and Dakota Duerr.

• After a seven-over par (79) during the first round of the Warrior Wave Princeville Intercollegiate on Nov. 5, 2012, junior Mark Anguiano came back two days later to have a team best three-under par (69) during the third round on Nov. 7, 2012.

• Redshirt freshman Mark Jensma shot his career best round of 73 during the third round of the Warrior Wave Princeville on Nov. 7, 2012. Overall, Jensma finished 11-over par (227) to tie in 58th place.